Free Threads Of Desire (Creative Hearts Book 3) by K.M. Jackson

business decision. It was a small company, and she had friends in accounting. The numbers weren’t adding up and if they didn’t do something soon, even his creative bookkeeping couldn’t conjure up a profit.
    Gabby sent a small, placid smile Gio’s way. “I really think this is the way to go,” she said. “Being more inclusive will only grow your customer base. It’s the way the market is heading.”
    Gio Caberrera just cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably. Gabby sighed. Clearly he was ready to let go and leave this up to his wife.
    Gabby looked toward Donovan who was seated near the center of the table. He seemed more engrossed with fiddling with his phone and couldn’t be bothered to chime in and help her out with a moment of support as he’d promised. Yeah, so much for promises made over steaks and cheap wine. She turned back Margo’s way and plastered on her best sell-it smile. What did she have to lose? She needed to finally get her life in order and make some progress, so as not to fall under the weight of her own complacency. “Margo, I researched the trends meticulously, and I know the markets. I’ve spoken with Mr. Caberrera about this and Donovan okayed these themes himself.”
    Dono finally looked up. “Oh yeah, Ma. I saw them. I think they look good. What, you don’t like ‘em?”
    Margo looked from Donovan to Gabby and then back again, her eyes narrowing. “No. I don’t like them.”
    “How about we come to a compromise,” Gabby said. “Maybe add a few pieces just to see how the buyers respond?”
    Mr. Caberrera chose then to speak up. “I don’t know, Gabby. New styles will mean new patterns, samples, and money. And we don’t have it to spend.” Gabby could feel defeat in her grasp. Another season down the drain. She didn’t know how many more of these she could take.
    “What if I’m able to source the fabric in our price range? We could take a chance on a few styles.” She looked directly into Mr. Caberrera’s eyes, ignoring Margo and Donovan. Time to lay it all on the table. “Take a chance on me, Mr. Caberrera. If you don’t want to integrate, we could try a small line. Let me do the samples and put my name on them. The risk will be mine.” Gabby took a breath. “Gabrielle Russell by Zenia. That way, if they don’t sell it will be my name taking all the heat, and if they do sell, you can get a big piece of the pie.”
    “They won’t sell,” Margo piped up.
    “I think they will,” Gabby countered, totally focused on Giovanni Caberrera.
    “I don’t know, Gabrielle. We have our usual line to do. The expense—”
    “—will be recouped in profit ten times over. If I can find cost-effective fabrics that are also eco-friendly, marketing will have an instant hook and the clothes will sell themselves,” she said, calmly. “You said at my interview, Mr. Cabrerra, that you liked my vision and my fresh approach. I’m just asking you to let me do what I was hired for.”
    Margo opened her mouth, no doubt to protest yet again, but Giovanni reached over and put a stilling hand over his wife’s, silencing her. “Fine, Gabrielle. You can give it a shot. But I want to see sketches for the full line by next week, so the samples can get started. You’ll also need to meet with marketing to go over a sales plan. It’ll be a lot of work, but just remember, you asked for this.”
    She nodded enthusiastically, unable to find her words to properly express her gratitude as Gio and Margo started to leave. “If this fails, it will be you hitting the door along with your line,” Margo spat over her shoulder. But Gabby was so happy and grateful, she couldn’t even spare another thought for the woman. Her brain was too busy reeling with ideas already.
    “You were great. You really handled them.”
    Gabby looked at Donovan with shock. “With barely any help from you, I might add.”
    “Come on, Gab, I know my parents. If I had said any more, my mother would have lost her shit